IT'S a real family affair for a talented trio of stagestruck children who are all making their mark treading the boards.

IT'S a real family affair for a talented trio of stagestruck children who are all making their mark treading the boards.

Big sister Alexis Joseph, aged 12, her brother Riccardo, 10, and little Tiann, aged four, are fast becoming theatre stars - following in the footsteps of mum Kay who was just a toddler when she got a taste of the spotlight.

Alexis, a pupil at Warley High School, has just finished her role in Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at Birmingham's Library Theatre.

Little Tiann, who is at Langley primary, is currently playing the part of Tam, the son of Kim, in the Birmingham Hippodrome production of Miss Saigon.

And later this year it will be Riccardo's turn - he has landed a part in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, also at the Hippodrome.

The children's proud mum Kay, aged 31, appeared in The Snow Queen at Wolverhampton's Grand Theatre when she was just two and reckons her kids may have inherited the stage bug.

Kay, now working in telesales in Oldbury, said: "I am so proud of all of the children. They seem to love performing -whether they have got it from me I don't know.

"I was only two when I was in The Snow Queen and although I didn't pursue it I suppose the stage bug may be in the children's blood. Alexis, Riccardo and Tiann are completely at home on the stage and it's lovely to see them up there.

"I don't know if they will make a career out of it in years to come but for the moment they are getting a great deal of pleasure and enjoyment out of it all," said Kay, of Langley, Oldbury.

Little Tiann has had to make personal sacrifices to take part in Miss Saigon, which started last week and runs until the end of the month.

She has had to lose most of her shoulder-length dark hair for the role of the boy Tam and Kay said Tiann was not too happy.

"I don't think Tiann liked it much but we told her she had to do it for the part and she accepted it had to be done," added Kay, who lives with husband Alexander, 36, a toolsetter.

Riccardo, also a pupil at Langley primary school, will get his chance of the limelight when Chitty Chitty Bang Bang starts a two-month run at the Hippodrome on June 26. Riccardo is part of the Central TV junior workshop, which gives children aged eight and over the chance to do drama, singing and dancing.